From thief to devil One step at a time
by ceasare
Summary: It was their biggest job. Get in, steal the spear that killed Jesus Christ and get the hell out. Easy right? Yet the enemy isn't always the other guys and betrayal is part of the game. Which only leaves a deal with the devil as an option. NarutoxSerafall
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Into the abyss**

"Gabriel. Are you sure that this is the right move?"

"Of course. After all, we are thieves…"

"…We take what we want."

Five figures clad in black jumped from the roof. The Peintures & Patrimoine building sat across the Rue Rivoli street. A hundred meters away from the entrance to their target, Louvre. It was a busy street, especially during nighttime, where the city of Paris truly shone the brightest. Street lights covered their every movement, children of shadows and deceit.

Gabriel let the wind soothe his face. They had spent the entire week on that building. Checking guard patterns and camera movements. Two months were spent in checking which of those cameras actually worked and which were dummies. The largest job they had ever taken. Their do or die moment. Gabriel, Lucifer, Mammon, Inari and Indra; the shadow syndicate.

The shadows were fifteen when they started. Orphans, street rats. Pulled together through life's whims. Grew up in dirty slums, dank streets filled with rats. They ate whatever they could steal. Whatever they were given. And then, on that faithful day, two years ago, they did their first official job. It was messy and complicated. Well as complicated as robbing a small bank in the outskirts of Chicago could ever be. It was bloody, messy, and not fun at all. Just like a girl's first time; but that didn't put them down. They traveled, expanded; a huge clientele and worldwide media coverage. The men in black. The thieves. Countless nicknames given by countless onlookers.

And now two years later they could finally earn their retirement. Was it too early? Maybe. But, the Longinus spear could buy you a small country. Found underground during an excavation in Jerusalem, it became the buzz of the century. The spear that took Jesus' life. The same spear that was imbedded into god's personification on earth. Now safely located in Louvre, it was their target. Their way into the high life. Was it risky? Yes. Was it worth it? Maybe.

"Indra, remain nearby you know what to do," Lucifer spoke in a commanding tone. His usual arrogance was not coating his words anymore. The group was apprehensive. None of them was sure this was going to end well. Only Gabriel's cheerfulness held them from falling apart. Their heartbeats accelerating to dangerous levels. Indra turned into a tiny alley between Rue de Rivoli and Place du Carrousel while the rest of them ran into the gates that separated the streets and Louvre's campus. Couples still walked around the grass covered fields but their eyes were glued on the glass pyramid that stood upside down on itself. Looking at themselves they nodded as Inari and Mammon turned left to go inside through the normal entrance. Lucifer and Gabriel went on towards the pyramid.

'One two. One two. Can you hear me, guys?" Indra's voice came through their speakers. The adrenaline was at an all-time high.

A chorus of "Loud and clear" came through their interconnected headpieces.

"Team one, entrance will unlock in two minutes. Team two… Take care of yourselves."

"Roger. "

If not clear, until now; Team two consisted of the two leaders. Lucifer and Gabriel. Satan and Archangel. It was ironic onomatopoeia; they were drunk when they came up with the names. Inari, god of crops and foxes- their support. Mammon, the personification of greed and avarice. Indra, the wrathful god. Lucifer, the demon of pride. And Gabriel, the messenger of god. It was through Inari's irony that he didn't get a demon's alias. 'You are too pure to be a demon' she had said back then. Although it was probably his looks and her shyness that kept her from revealing the entire thought process.

"Sasuke. Never forget…" Gabriel started as he sped towards the glass, "… We are thieves." He threw a metal gadget, -made by Inari, on the glass and it started beeping. Lucifer looked at his leader's back and smirked, with a groan he jumped as high as he could ready for the hole that would appear shortly through the reinforced glass. "Ah, I'll never forget. We take what we want right? Naruto."

Gabriel jumped at the same time as the gadget emitted a high-frequency sound, and shattered it. "Yeah…"

"Eh, guys. You know the plan, go on to point B, the fake it there. Start the alarm." She said shyly. It was always enjoyable to poke fun at her, but at this point in time, they couldn't bring themselves to joke.

On the other side of the campus, Indra and Mammon walked right through the high-grade security doors that led to the vault. Whose idea was it to connect a door to the internet? Inari couldn't tell. But it came in handy at this point so she couldn't really complain.

"Indra, go to point C, plant them five feet apart each. Arm them for ten. "

"Yes chief!" he said excitedly. Unlike the rest of them, Indra lacked self-preservation instincts.

"Could you take this seriously Johny?" Mammon spoke.

"heh? Aren't you one to talk. So carelessly saying my name like that."

The banter didn't take off as usual. They separated as per plan. West of them sirens started echoing through the campus which was the whole point of the operation. Two rooms and a turn to the left led to the vault. "I'm here Inari."

"Yep, wait a sec. "Keyboard clicks could be heard from the other side of the speaker. After a few silent moments, the vault released and opened just enough to let the visitor inside. "Done!" she said cheerfully.

"Nice Inari. It was fun working with you." He said, letting a bit of regret color his words.

"Huh?" Inari suddenly felt pain, as if someone was squeezing her heart. It was the same kind of pain one felt when hitting his toe on the table foot. Only it concentrated in her heart. "When?" she asked through gasps of air. She could hardly even think right now. She had to tell Naruto and Sasuke.

"When? When I accidentally scratched you this morning Eli. I am afraid that this ends our cooperation. I'll see you on the other side. "he said cockily while throwing his headpiece away. The spear lay on a metallic table. It was being examined earlier. The researchers left it there like that. The untapped power that just waited to be wielded. God's blood had seeped through its cracks making it about as powerful as a nuke. All there, inside an eight-foot pole.

"Hey, are you finished here?" Johny's voice rang inside the acoustic chamber. His eyes widened when a sharp pain rang through his senses. He coughed blood and steam rose and entered his eyes. A spear was embedded inside his chest. The weight of it made him stumble and he fell on his knees. Beyond the metal pole stood Mammon. Casually smirking at him. That annoying face.

"You won't get away with this Cao Cao. You won't get away with this." In his rage, he pulled the spear out. Another gurgle of blood and spit escaped his mouth. His left lung was collapsed and he couldn't care less at this point. The rage blinded him. It was the kind of feeling he only experienced once before.

His mother lay on the ground. A pool of blood surrounding her still form. That man stood over her, cleaning his gun with a tissue. Ah… He had said the same words back then. 'You won't get away with this.' But the words were empty, only the shadow of that man aligned with Cao Cao's figure. "YOU. WON'T GET. AWAY WITH THIS!" his eyes dead to the world as he screamed. The all mighty weapon safely in his hands, he raised it, ready to throw it at the traitor. Cao Cao raised his hand and in a sudden the spear left Johnny's hand and flew over to him.

"What?" his eyes widened at the feat. How did he do that? This shouldn't be possible.

"Indra, Johnny. The world is beyond your imagination. You are blind to it. Blinded by that which they want you to see. You are but a tiny ant in front of a goliath. At least; at these last moments you can catch a glimpse and when that arrogant prick and goodie two shoes join you in the afterlife you can tell them all about it." The Longinus was raised at Johnny's eye level. A blinding ball of light gathered around its spike.

"You won't get away with this. Gabriel will make sure of it." He closed his eyes, accepting his fate. The vault was illuminated as the deadly beam engrossed his entire body. There was nothing left there.

"What is he going to do Indra? Kick me?" he snorted.

"I am going to FUCKING KILL YOU!" Gabriel's obnoxious voice rang through the corridors, Sasuke stood behind him glaring daggers at Cao Cao.

"Ahahah. You? Kill me? Know your place!" Another beam escaped the holy spear, only slightly missing its intended target."

Naruto ignored the illogical fact that a spear released a beam of doom towards him and rushed Cao Cao. He was fast for a human, but not fast enough. Strong but not strong enough. Cao Cao disappeared and reappeared behind Sasuke. "Guess that's it. Luci." Another beam removed Sasuke's chest and organs leaving a humongous hole in his body.

"Na… Naru." He fell flat on his face. Naruto was on his knees staring at his brother's corpse. "Why Cao? Why did you do this?" There was no reason to live anymore. Money didn't matter if they weren't there. Fame didn't matter if they weren't there. Only the daunting emptiness of the abyss remained in his heart.

"It wasn't personal Leader. I want everything this world has to offer. Can't have that if I have to share with you." Cao cao shrugged. HE FUCKING SHRUGGED!

"So it was for money?" Naruto asked. Broken as he was. "For petty money?"

"Money? Don't be ridiculous Naruto. Money is but a way to power. With the Longinus, I can ignore the middle man so to speak." He answered flippantly. "As I said earlier. I'll see you on the other side." The spear started charging power as it aimed towards his still form. Naruto didn't care. He started pulling himself on the floor, - his feet wouldn't move for some reason. Slowly but surely heading towards Sasuke. The spear deactivated suddenly and Cao Cao felt his stamina drain. He didn't have enough power to give his former leader a fast death. "I guess I'll do it the old way" The spear rose again, ready to be thrown towards the unassuming blonde who was now hugging his dead friend. There were tears flowing but Cao Cao couldn't care less about that.

His attempt was again thwarted by footsteps. Through the pitiful sniffles, he could clearly hear them. A team of eight, armed. He was tired so fighting them was not an option.

"You are lucky Leader," He said as he vanished into thin air.

Naruto sat on an uncomfortable metallic chair. The police dog sat on the other side of the table. He was speaking in French; a language Naruto couldn't speak. So he didn't answer. There was no point to it anyway. A life in prison awaited him anyway. Locked behind bars while the bastard went about his merry way.

It had been two weeks since then. Daily, a guard would pick him up from his cell and would bring him in the interrogation room. At which point he would sit and listen to French mambo jumbo he couldn't understand. Ten hours later he went back to his cell. No food was served nor water.

It was the fourteenth day when a red haired man walked into the interrogation room. He had long hair and wore glasses. Tall or, at least, taller than Naruto, he wore a business suit and carried a leather Gucci bag. The man spoke a few words in French to the officer; who for some reason stood up and robotically walked outside.

The man sat across and opened his bag taking a thick manila folder out. "I'll be frank with you, mister Naruto Uzumaki."

'what?' how did the man speak his language? Well, it wasn't such a rare occurrence for someone to speak a tongue. But this man spoke, and he understood what was being said. But the sounds didn't make any sense. Like drinking orange juice while expecting milk. It was disgusting but not really. Get it?

"What did you just say?" Naruto spoke in his mother tongue, Japanese. The man didn't bat an eye as he answered in fluid Japanese.

"I said. That I am going, to be frank with you Uzumaki-san. You are in a lot of trouble… "The string that banded the folder was released slowly and the man took a large stack of papers out and started reading. "… 2013, you and members of your group entered the Bank of America branch office, Cornelius avenue. Two guards dead, shot. The group left with a gross sum of fifty thousand and sixty-five dollars…

The Same year, three months later, a group of people, now named shadow syndicate enter the Smithsonian museum of Art in Washington DC, stolen artifact being Nuestra Senora de Los Dolores by John S. Copley – estimated price, seventy thousand U.S dollars. Same year, December. The crime syndicate known as shadow enters the private estate of billionaire Donald Trump, stealing several artifacts of unknown value…." The man put the folder down and looked at him, "Should I go over 2014 Uzumaki-san?"

"You have been watching us." Naruto glared at the man.

"Yeah. In my defense, a group that has Cao Cao's descendant in it is always something to watch for. At least in my circles." He said as he raised both hands pleading guilty.

"Cao Cao's descendant? That bastard is an orphan, just like everyone in our group."

"Ah, that is true. Unfortunately, though his heritage does exist even if you didn't know about it… The great hero of China, Cao Cao or Mengde. Rose to power during the three kingdom era. Eastern Han dynasty. Well, that is the official tale of course. "he shrugged.

"There is an unofficial one?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, apparently he was part of some organization that hunted yokai. Even killed a Kyuubi with seven tails. Well, it was a baby Kyuubi but still. "the man went on to ramble about how a baby Kyuubi should be powerful enough to fight off entire human armies. Which was totally unfair considering the humans.

"Wait, stop. Time off. What the hell are you talking about… eh"

"Lucifer. Sirzechs Lucifer. Not your friend Lucifer, I am the actual Lucifer. Although I wasn't born a Lucifer there was this whole war and…"

"STOP! What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto yelled in outrage. Nothing made sense anymore.

"Ah… I guess I'll have to start from the beginning huh?" he scratched his head sheepishly.

And so the story of a world is hidden in broad daylight unfolded. Where even the boogeyman probably dwelled under some unsuspecting child's bed. A world where angels were licking their wounds while devils multiplied with chess pieces and fallen angels did whatever it was that fallen angels did. Where vampires lived in castles and warred between their clans, bigfoot was but another daily occurrence and that slender man game you play at night with your lights off? Yeah, he doesn't exist but still.

"So why are you telling me this?" Naruto asked when the story finished.

"That's it? You believe me just like that?" Sirzechs asked in bewilderment. That was quicker than Grayfia pulling him back in the office.

"Yeah, I mean a beam of holy light bisected two of my brother's and the dude responsible is somewhere out there. I guess if I accepted the existence of god then accepting whatever tall tale you just told me is probably easy." He shrugged.

"Ahem, yeah I guess so. So to the reason, I'm here. I am a sucker for revenge stories and drama." Sirzechs said seriously.

"Huh?" Naruto gawped.

"I mean come one. There is this whole teenage ultra-thieves plot and then there is betrayal, some romance was going on. I've been hooked with you guys and I just couldn't let you rot in some prison while Cao Cao lurks around. It would be lame." He finished.

"So you are here because… Is this some kind of soap opera to you bastard? Do you find all of this entertaining?"

"Ah, yeah?" the answer was shaky at best.

Naruto sighed as he massaged his temples. He didn't ask for any of this. But there was some truth to the devil's rumblings. He couldn't rot in jail. Not yet at least. "

"So … What is it you are suggesting then?" he asked.

"Hm. A friend of mine hasn't started her peerage yet. She is really picky and an actress. Ever seen Miracle Levia-tan?"

"What?"

"Oh, I guess it only airs in the underworld."

"You got television in the fucking underworld?"

"Yeah."

"They got ramen?"

"Ah… Yeah?"

"Sweet."

 **A.N I wanted to make this chapter longer, but ending it on a high note seemed important and I would have ruined it if I went further. Review and follow if you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

We deserve more Naruto! I don't want to eat off the streets anymore! I don't want to sleep in boxes, drinking from the river like an animal.

So what would you have us do Sasuke? Rob banks? Running away, trying to not be caught? Would you kill and pillage for money Sasuke?

No! Of course not. We are smart, we can do this. I promise after the end of this job you will understand what I mean. Forget your stupid justice for a second and think! Think! About Cao, Eli, Johnny. We are family are we not?

And family they were, bonds forged in fire and blood. The same blood that now stained his hands. Naruto woke up startled, cold sweat pouring all over his body. He sat up only to cringe as the cold air of the roof mingled with his wet skin. He looked at the palms of his hands and they were red. Sasuke's blood stained them, his dark eyes staring at him from the beyond. He couldn't take it. Kicking the sheets away he ran towards the bathroom, the golden sink had poured cold water. It was cathartic and pure. Another fond memory of times forgotten came forth as he looked at his reflection.

"Have I ever told you the story of Icarus?" his mother's sweet voice rang in his ears. She was stroking his head while laying next to him, her red hair next to his face. The faint smell of cherries was easy to identify.

"No. Tell me … tell me!" he said excitedly.

"Ok, ok, geez. So there was once a country. And in this country was a great labyrinth built by a famous architect. His name was Daedalus. When he finished his masterpiece he went to the king and asked to be paid. The king imprisoned him into the labyrinth…"

"Because he didn't have the money?" the boy asked innocently. To which she laughed merrily.

"No, the king's daughter received a clew from Daedalus and gave it to the king's enemy Theseus. So that Theseus could find his way back from the labyrinth."

"Huh? How would he get out with a clue? "

"No. Not a clue! A clew. It's a big ball of string. So Theseus attached one end in the entrance and could follow it back when he lost his way."

"Ooh, that's smart. But why did the king's daughter give him that, Theseus was her daddy's enemy right?"

"Hmm. I don't know… Maybe you'll know when you get older…" she smiled coyly; greatly confusing the child. "Anyway, the king couldn't punish his beloved daughter so he punished Daedalus and his son, Icarus…."

"What?! Why! That's unfair!" The child cried indignantly. How was it the architect's fault anyway?

"Naruto-chan, not everything in life is fair. Remember that." She schooled her son.

"Fine, but that doesn't mean I like it." Naruto looked the other way around, squinting his eyes to express his distaste. She didn't deem it necessary to comment on that, although inwardly she was really proud.

"… So. The father and son became prisoners of their own creation. In the labyrinth dwelled a monster. The Minotaur! Half-Ox and half man." she raised her hands ominously above him and roared, to which Naruto raised the bedsheets higher to cover his face. The ominous description scaring him out of his six-year-old mind.

"Long story short, Daedalus was smart and to escape he created wings out of feathers and wax…"

"That's soo cool, so they flew away right momma?" he asked, wonder etched on his childish face. Blue eyes shining with excitement.

"Yes! He and his son… "her story was again interrupted from an outside source, this time, the door to her son's bedroom opened slightly. Her husband's face peeking right inside.

"Dear, we need to talk about something." She could tell he was serious, and that was never good.

"Fine, I'll be there right away." She looked sideways to see her dear son's disappointed face. "I'll finish the story some other time okay baby?"

The boy sighed dramatically. It was ten o'clock already- way beyond bedtime, "did they live happily ever after?"

She smiled, her beautiful face shone. "Yeah, they lived happily ever after…"

It took years to realize that Daedalus made a grave mistake. That life was unfair and in her whims often took that which was most important. Just like his parents. Just like his family. And in her whimsical nature, she twisted everything around, constantly bringing forth events, circumstances. There was no greater power that ruled who was lucky or not, things just were. Facts circulating every being. It was a deck of cards and life dealt them unequally but fairly. Only unlike a game of poker you could throw them away and tap out, or shuffle as often as you wanted until you got the hand you want.

"Serafall why won't you listen to me? You know what we'll have to do in a year right? You need at least two peerage members by then! And the boy is exquisite! You should have seen him breaking into that museum, his friends equally amazing. That Cao Cao boy betrayed them in the last second and you know the rest." The Satan Lucifer pleaded his case to his old friend. Serafall had fallen off the deep end after the war, disguising herself as a little girl and showing off that childish persona.

Well, he couldn't really blame her. All of them kind of did in their own way fall off the deep end.

Serafall looked over her shoulder sending him a glare which looked like a cute pout now that she was in her child form again. Red eyes shining brightly. "I told you once and I'll tell you twice Sirzechs-chan. I don't need to gather humans for cattle under my command! I thought we fought the war to become more like humans. To create a world were, we could live better. Now everyone is trying to gather others into servitude, even you!

'We want a fair new world!' She mocked Sirzechs' voice dramatically puffing her ample chest out. "Isn't that what you preached back then Lucifer? And now you try to pass me some human and his sob story off to me? I made myself very clear last time. Now get out."

Sirzechs sighed as he put his coat back on. Walking towards the door, he turned around to speak. "Fine, I'll let him sleep for tonight, tomorrow he goes to jail again. He'll probably get a life sentence."

"See if I care" she huffed abruptly. It had been centuries since Sirzechs went on his guilt trips.

"Oh, one last thing before I go. Do you know who ordered the job?" He asked smirking coyly at her.

"Why would I know something like that?" She asked exasperated at her old friend's antics.

"Ophis" her eyes widened as Sirzechs disappeared in his clan's teleportation circle.

/

Naruto returned back to his room. If his biological clock had anything to tell him, it was that the time was around midnight. The subtle purple hue that surrounded the underworld lit the room. The Gremory mansion was extravagant. A classic baroque themed mini-castle. Paintings hung around, statues during intersections and fine china on tables. This used to be his end game. Maybe not so much, but this extravagance reminded him that all of it was hollow.

There was nobody waiting for him anywhere now. A single leaf on a dying tree.

The guest room was no exception to the rest of the mansion. A king sized bed with satin sheets, a humongous painting above it, portraying what Naruto saw as a two devils stand across each other. There was a mountain behind them and a crack in the earth separated the two warriors.

"Do you like it?" a feminine voice reverberated around the room and he instantly got ready to fight. The normal response would be to run but he utterly forgot that he was surrounded by beings' way stronger than what a human could fathom.

"Calm down, I'm not here to fight." He could identify the source now, a little girl sat on his bed. She wore a black dress and her black hair was tied neatly into two ponytails. Pink orbs observed him as he took a couple of steps back.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying to withhold the lump in his throat. It was as if she was oozing some dangerous and unknown substance, it filled the room, stuck on the walls, injected into his pores. As if a boulder weighing on his back. He wanted to fall down, it would have been easy too. The only thing holding him standing was the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He was but a tiny mouse stared down by its' predator. Non the less if he fell down now he would lose something. Not yet sure what it was but its' importance was paramount.

"What is it that you want?" she asked. Her voice but a whisper in his ears.

"I want- "he stopped his mouth while ahead. What is it that he wanted? Revenge? No, he was the one that stopped Sasuke from going all psycho. Didn't he preach all the time, about how blind revenge was nothing but a one-way ticket to hell? Technically he was in hell already but the fact didn't register as he mulled over her question.

"I want to stop Cao Cao. He is planning something…" he answered truthfully. It was revenge but it had a purpose.

"You want to stop him? And how would you do that? He wields the Longinus, his ancestor was a legend and he inherited his power. What can you do little human? You are but flesh and bones, an ant waiting to be stepped on."

Naruto glared at her with all the hate he could muster. Wishing that she would explode in flames for her blasphemy. How dare this creature mock him. A bat; that is what she was. A single rodent. She couldn't understand what it is to be human. He had seen humanity's lowest and highest in his short seventeen-year-old life.

"SHUT. UP" he gritted.

"Oh…? You got some backbone little human. Do you want me to stop? You couldn't even stop him from killing your friends. What can you do?"

"SHUT. UP" but she wouldn't. She started giggling and then full out laughing at him. Seeing red, he took off to punch her only for his fist to meet some sort of barrier. The barrier cracked slightly but quickly repaired itself. The room started freezing as she stood up. All the amusement was gone from her face. Then the quickly caught up to his feet, it rose up fast but steadily towards his torso and hands only leaving his head free.

"I am Serafall Leviathan," She said evenly.

The rage gave way to confusion as she smiled. It wasn't the same condescending one she flashed earlier. No; this smiled was one of pride? He couldn't be sure.

"What?" he stuttered out.

"I needed to make sure you could fill the job requirement Naruto Uzumaki."

"What job requirement?"

"To be part of my peerage of course. I couldn't take some weak willed child for my queen." She giggled. Naruto gaped at her only to realize her words.

"Now listen here you bat! I am no queen ok?" he yelled. Face flushed red in embarrassment.

She laughed again. A stark difference to her previous mockery. This feeling he could understand because it was the same thing he used to do to Eli. She always went crimson and her ears almost smoked in embarrassment whenever Indra or he teased her.

"Don't worry, it's just a title, no one is taking your masculinity away. Try not to die ok?"

Naruto looked at her in confusion. A chess piece appeared on her open palm. "What?"

"Don't worry, just don't die."

And then pain erupted. His whole body started shifting. It was as if his bones and flesh had a mind of their own. A piercing feeling came from his back and his stomach churned as a gooey feeling overcame his entire body. He was malleable like plaster for a second and then everything solidified again. For a moment, nothing happened and he looked at her.

"Grit your teeth." She said.

"What?" but he didn't have time for an answer. There was no way to explain what happened next. Describing the utter agony would be like describing a colour to a blind man who never saw a light. At first, it was unadulterated power, gasoline filling up a tank to the brim and then forcing more into it. He felt as if he was going to explode. Then the gasoline changed substance, it started solidifying and at the same time, it circulated his body. All of his muscles ached as Serafall's queen piece started building pathways inside of him. His body was a rock and the energy drilled holes everywhere. The painful feeling started coming from his legs and slowly; tortuously crawled upwards. It was when the energy reached his temples that he gave way to unconsciousness.

And everything became peaceful and dark.

There was a reason that only the four Demon lords had the original evil pieces. Unlike the standard ones these ones only required for the creature being turned to be less powerful than the king. The initial energy that jumpstarted the process was given from the caster of the turning. Countless humans died when high-class devils turned them.

To survive; one had to have the will to live in the first place. Weak willed creatures ended up as a slab of meat on the floor. High-class devils on demand. Such a constitution would have reignited a war between the factions. So the pieces were weakened. Became safe for the masses. And that gave way to collectors. Devils that wanted harems or unique creatures.

Everything went when it came to peerages.

/

"I don't want to marry that jerk!" a feminine voice rang throughout the Gremory mansion. Hushed whispers and the sound of glass breaking stirred the young devil awake. Everything ached, even muscles he didn't know existed. In his groggy state, he couldn't hear the words but the yelling reverberated in his head like a giant tin gong. The feeling was reminiscent from their first job. A bunch of teenagers drinking the heavy stuff resulted in a hangover of epic proportions.

Naruto awkwardly stood up, swaying back and forth he walked towards the door. It was now that he somehow realized that the door was, at least, two times as high as he was. Who the hell built this place?

When he opened the door he met the awkward sight of a grown up teenager throwing a tantrum. A red haired girl with fair skin and tits bigger than his own head was throwing the fine china he saw last at a pair of equally fair skinned adults. The woman looked like and an older clone of the girl only with brown hair while the man was an older version of the Sirzechs man.

"Sweetie, the contract was made years ago. We can't undo it now!" the man pleaded.

"I. Don't. Care!" she screamed ferociously.

"But- "the man didn't finish because he saw Naruto standing there like an oaf. The visitor that his son brought a week ago was witnessing this familial spat. 'How embarrassing' he thought.

"Honey, meet our guest. Naruto Uzumaki I think right?" the woman said. Her warm tone and amused stare heavily reminding him of his mother. He couldn't help but blush.

"Ah. Yeah, it's nice to meet you…"

"Venelana…" she unswered, "… This is my husband Agustino Gremory, and our daughter Rias Gremory."

"Ah, yeah. Nice to meet you. I'm- "he coughed a couple of times. "Eh. Narut- Naruto Uzumaki." He awkwardly introduced himself, bowing lightly. Stuttering was the theme of the week for him. He never stuttered damn it!

"Eh, mom? Who's that supposed to be?" she asked curiously. A guest in the Gremory estate was not a rare occurrence but an unknown guest was.

"Oh, I am sure you are going to be quick friends. You are a fan of his after all." Lady Venelana giggled in the back side of her palm. Eyes squinted in mischief.

"Fan?" Naruto and Rias chorused.

"Oh, definitely. You are looking at the Shadow Syndicate's leader and Leviathan's newest queen." Lord Gremory chirped in.

It was then and there that Naruto experienced a fangirl for the first time in his life. All pretenses lost and the previous argument was long forgotten Rias squealed and started gushing while running towards him with speeds that shouldn't be possible for women with breasts this big. He was engulfed in a tight hug and he would solemny swear on the bible if he had too, his ribs almost broke but the vile creature didn't care as she barraged him with question after question, filling up any and every brain cell. The fight or flight response every mammal seemed to have kicked in as he pushed her away and like a snake slipped through the hug of doom and run back into his room.

The Gremory family froze and stared at the now closed door as it opened again and the teenager run as fast as he could. Eyes frantic he jumped over Rias, slid through both adults and with a tumble righted himself again to run towards the exit. He knew the outline of the mansion because he had seen it when he came in.

Naruto quickly kicked the door and exited into a yard or garden. A really, really big garden with fountains and statues and everything expensive one could imagine. After moments, he realized that his response was obnoxious but his feet wouldn't stop. Only when he arrived in what looked like a shopping district did he realize that now was a good time to stop.

And then he saw them.

It was easily the funniest thing he had seen in his life. Two devils dressed in what seemed to be police suits walked in his direction. They had hell's equivalent of donuts in their hands and coffee cups.

Hell's pigs. Yeah has a good ring to it.

"Hey stop! Public indecency is prohibited!" pig number one shouted. They both ran up to him and then- only then- did he realize that he only wore a pair of gray jogging pants. He looked downward and realized that his abs were more defined, he felt stronger too, but what took the cake was the black lines on his chest. He couldn't read it because it was upside down-or right side up but his head was upside down… whatever- he turned towards the store on his left and with a bit of effort he read the inverted sentence: "If lost, return to Levia-tan *wink*"

 **A.N AAAAND chapter 2 done. It isn't every day that I get so pumped up for a story. So I'm not gonna jinx it. I've struggling to balance drama and funny moments for this fic. Naruto is recovering from a traumatic event and cannon Naruto never did that (unless you consider Jiraya and even then he was a wreck until Iruka 'repaired' him). So I don't want to make it seem like Naruto forgot all about his gang.**

 **Hope you liked it! Review and follow :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Baby steps**

He lay there sprawled on the ground like a puppet with severed strings. Every muscle ached, his body wouldn't respond to him. Words from long ago, spoken by a person long forgotten echoed through his mind, _"Stand up!"_. It wasn't Serafall looking at him anymore. A man with long white hair looked at him in contempt; it was sunset- not this ugly purple sky. "Your mind is your strongest weapon! If your body can't obey your mind, then you are only a thumb-less monkey holding a gun! Now stand up!"

With a painful roar he stood up again, arms limb on his side, his face was bloodied and the scent of his scent mixed with his blood as it poured off of him like a river. Serafall stomped the ground as she stood on the same spot. She hadn't moved an inch since they started; icy spikes exploded from the ground and he rolled backward, lest he impaled himself. From a crouching position, he sprinted at her, intent to at least punch her once.

This was the last of his strength, his body couldn't take anymore. His teacher's figure encompassed Serafall's and the same anger he experienced back then resumed and rejuvenated his body for just this moment, just for this; ice spikes continued rising as he sidestepped and slithered through them, he jumped in the air arms spread to maximize air resistance and slow himself down for the decent.

"JIRAAAAIYA!"

For the first time since they started Serafall raised her palm at him, a magic circle appeared and an ice spike twice as big as the previous ones exploded faster than a bullet. He brought his arms near his chest and narrowly avoided the deadly attack. With a graceful landing, he pushed the ground underneath him and coiled his fist back to punch her.

His fist stopped inches away from her smiling face. He stood dead on his feet, so tired that a single moment of rest would send him into unconsciousness, widening eyes observed her standing there, he couldn't understand why his fist didn't make contact. A roaring pain registered on his stomach. Looking down, he saw Serafall's fist buried in his gut,

"Nice try Naru-chan!" she said excitedly, just before he lost consciousness.

"Onee-sama, don't you think you are going too hard on him?" Serafall's younger sister sat on a nearby rock. Prim and proper as always. "Nah, he can take it. How come you're here Sona-tan?"

Sona's eyes widened at the lack of excitement. She thought it would have felt a bit better whenever her sister decided to stop with the obnoxious excitement. But it stung- just a little.

"Mother told me to invite you to dinner…" Sona stood up and a teleportation spell activated underneath her feet, "…oh, she also said to bring the newest family member too." Sona disappeared from the clearing leaving an upset Serafall and a broken queen.

It was an unspoken agreement between everyone who knew Serafall on a personal level that staying in her presence while in her adult form was a no go. It had been a month since Naruto arrived at her mansion. Half naked and handcuffed by two of Asmodeus' policemen. Cheeky as he was he wouldn't show her any respect. That was fine too until he barged in a live shooting of Magical girl Levia-tan with his pajamas still on. The camera rolled as he scratched his toned belly and yawned for the whole underworld to see.

It was the first time since her crush on Sirzechs- a couple of centuries ago, that she blushed and felt utterly ashamed. In his first week of devil hood Naruto had already achieved what most of hell's denizens would never achieve in their life; headlines of Underworld Times: "Who is this mysterious teen living in Leviathan-sama's mansion? (more details p.13)"

Naruto also broke a record in the category of fastest being alive to enrage Serafall Leviathan. Which by the way was thirty seconds faster than Beelzebub managed. The servants never learned the reason and quickly learned to never speak about it if the mistress was anywhere near a ten-kilometer perimeter around of them.

The previously almost empty mansion was now filled with life; Naruto's antics while filled with mischief brightened Serafall's otherwise empty days. Any previous constraints about him becoming a member of her peerage quickly whittled away. Even if she had to bail him out of jail twice already.

To the question:" Why did you steal his wallet?" the answer: "I am a thief Serafall. I take what I want", only made him more endearing to her. To her chagrin, Serafall noticed that she gave too much energy when turning him. It was a miracle that he was even alive. That being said he could hardly control magic at the moment so she had to seal away a big chunk of it. He couldn't even perform a single teleportation spell at first because of energy overload. Now he was fine and with time and effort he would become a person to take notice of.

She looked at the teen laying on her thighs with a smile. 'Not yet, though'.

The ice field created by their 'spar' melted away. The residual water gathering around his beaten body. His wounds quickly healed themselves as she pushed more and more magic into her spell.

In the depths of his mind, repressed memories escaped their restraint. Things he didn't want to remember but was now forced to look at again. He was but an observer as Eli and Johnny laughed at his failed attempt of throwing a Japanese kunai. Sasuke's smirk at getting it on his first try and Cao Cao's irritating smirk. Days spent outside on that grassy field. A homely little cottage where they spent five years of their short life. Jiraiya's obnoxious giggling at night as he watched the pervy ads on TV thinking that they were asleep. His and Sasuke's blushes while they discretely watched too. Eli's gasp when she found them watching one of Jiraiya's 'research' DVDs.

 _Hey, old geezer! Why do we have to read this stuff? I don't care about the area of a triangle. Neither do the rest of us! Teach us those kickass moves you pulled on those bullies!_

 _Shut your mouth shitty brat! A man's power lays in his mind. With a powerful mind, you have the best weapon. A powerful body only compliments that. Now sit down and do your work! Eli is already finished, see?_

How could he forget his teacher? The man he hated and respected the most at the same time. The man who gave them a chance at life and then disappeared like nothing ever happened.

Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya!" He jumped out of bed. Bed?

Calming himself down and taking big breaths to bring his heartbeat up to a normal rhythm again. He was sweating again. Sheets wet and cold. The window was opened and soothing air blew inside. The irritating purple hue that surrounded everything around this world still shining the same as ever.

He checked his body only to find that the skin was as immaculate as ever. There were no blemishes or swollen skin, he felt as healthy as a baby right now. He turned around to look at the Levia-tan clock that sat on his bed stand. It was either a different day or only three hours had passed since his 'spar'.

Naruto groggily stood up, idly noticing that his muscles still ached he decided to not make any unnecessary movements. Slowly but steadily he walked towards his door and then outside. The mansion was as luxurious as the Gremory estate. Serafall's mansion was less pompous and a lot more… eccentric? Yeah, that would be the right word. If the magical girls' statues and paintings that surrounded every speck of free room in the mansion meant anything.

"Naruto-sama?" a black haired devil-girl stood in front of him. She was a head shorter than he was and that meant something since he was short as hell to begin with.

"Ah, Lily right?"

"Yes Naruto-sama" she bowed in acknowledgment.

"Cut the 'sama' suffix. I've done nothing to deserve your respect." He said irritated that the maids in this place wouldn't stop referring to him as such. Having lived a good chunk of his life in the United States, and on the streets none the less; he couldn't accept people referring to him with respect. _Respect is earned, Naruto-chan_. His father's voice rang in his ears. He almost didn't remember how it sounded anymore.

"I can't do that Naruto-sama. You are Serafall-sama's queen and therefore, you must be addressed with respect." She pressed on. Her voice reminded him of Eli, shy but firm. "Fine…" he scowled slightly but then gasped as if a lightbulb came to life above his head. "…Then I order you to stop calling me with the 'sama' suffix."

Lily giggled and negatively shook her head while turning around to walk away at the same time. "It doesn't work that way Naruto-sama. Serafall-sama asked me to tell you to find her in her study when you wake up."

"Fine, fine." He walked away, irritated that she one-upped him in an argument. A small smile forming on his lips. He liked Lily.

Serafall's study was on the second floor, third room on the west side hallway. The door leading into it was not as flashy as the rest of them, only made out of wood, with no ornaments on it. He knocked twice and waited for a response. A 'Come in' sounded from the other side and he opened the door.

It was the second time he ever walked in this room. Unlike, her normal carefree smile she always seemed serious in here. Stacks of books lay scattered on the floor and countless shelves with fat books decorated the room. In the middle stood a desk, filled to the brim with books. A cozy looking couch on one side and an executive's leather chair on the other. Serafall sat next to the desk on the floor. A big book on her lap and black frame glasses on her face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked without looking at him. Naruto took a few moments to admire the library.

"Aching muscles aside, I'm fine" he finished lamely. He didn't like standing there like a log but sitting on the chair seemed a bit disrespectful. Which would probably earn him a quick beating into tomorrow.

A few moments passed in silence. Serafall was immersed in her book and Naruto looked around awkwardly.

"Who is Jiraya?" she finally asked. The awkward situation they had going, quickly turned into a 'get-ready-to-fight' situation. How did she know that name? A couple of ice spikes to the head too many made sure that his scream during their spar remained forgotten.

"How do you know that name?" he asked. He tried to remain calm but his voice cracked- just enough for Serafall to notice.

"You called me 'Jiraya' when you tried to throw that last punch."

Naruto looked hesitant for a moment but relaxed and sat on the floor across his king. With a sigh, he started talking, "…Jiraya. We were being attacked, Sasuke, Johny, Eli, and I…"

He was talking but his eyes were plastered on the floor, memories playing along his tongue. "…It was only a couple of thugs, they noticed that we hung around the slums and that we were alone so they wanted to have some fun, ya 'know? Johnny was on the ground, blood running from his ears and nose broken, Eli was crying on her knees and Sasuke and I were standing in front of her trying desperately to protect her. I was shaking in fear but Sasuke…" he smiled.

"…Sasuke always wanted to prove his worth ya 'know? He looks at me sideways and whispers: 'What? Are you afraid? Scaredy-cat.' He taunted. A metal bar lay on the ground next to us and so; he picks it up and screams, right? Really screams, louder than anything I ever heard before. 'Come and get us bastards!' he said back then. Of course, he didn't wait for them to 'come and get us' because the idiot ran ahead and soaked one of them- the fat one, right on the forehead, the dude fell down like a rock." The old memory made him laugh, it was hollow and desperate.

"…So the other guy- the tall one, pulls out a knife and stabs him right in the gut. Sasuke screamed in pain and I saw red. All fear forgotten, all I wanted was to tear that man apart, I wanted him to be dead on the ground, I want- "Naruto took a calming breath and looked at a wide-eyed Serafall who certainly didn't expect such a tall tale.

She stood up and came and sat behind him, Naruto blushed when she hugged him from behind and pulled his head to her chest. Like his mother did all those years ago she started stroking his hair. "What happened next?" she asked soothingly.

"…I was nine years old back then. Couldn't even pick up two gallons of milk for longer than a minute. It is all hazy in my mind but I remember running up to him, he tried to slash but Sasuke bit him on the ankle, Sasuke wouldn't let go and the thug screamed when I kicked him in the balls, I put all my power behind the kick too." They both laughed for a bit.

"…He dropped the knife, without thinking I picked it up and looked at him. He was scared. The pussy had pissed his pants. As I stood over him, he was begging for his life… I remember getting ready to kill him. Would have done it too, I didn't care back then. What were they going to do? Put me in jail? Ha! Jail has three meals a day and free time. No begging for food there. I knew that the fastest way was to the head so I raised the knife as high as I could- "

Naruto sobbed at the painful memory. Serafall didn't interrupt letting him regain his bearings.

"…I stopped at the last second, Eli had thrown herself in front of the knife. 'You can't kill him' she glared at me and screamed on top of her lungs, louder than Sasuke, louder than the whole entire world. You might not know Eli like I do, but Eli never glared at anyone… Jiraiya found us soon after that, Sasuke had lost a lot of blood and Johnny had two broken ribs. He took us to his cottage, tended to our wounds. For five years he taught us how to read, write. Math, history, how to fight and how to live. Then he disappeared, didn't say a single word."

The silence would have flooded the room if it had any substance. They spent it in an embrace, Naruto was replaying the memory over and over in his mind, while Serafall decided that maybe there was way more than roses and sunshine in her newest family member. She gently stood up and looked at Naruto who turned around. "Get ready for dinner, you will meet my parents today." She said with a gentle smile and walked towards the door, she turned around to look at him. "You are now a member of my peerage. Family!" she yelled at him. "I'm never going to replace your friends, but you are now more than Naruto Uzumaki, more than Gabriel. Never forget that!" with her piece said she walked away, leaving a confused teenager behind.

/

Naruto stood in front of his mirror. He wore skinny black denim jeans, a pair of black leather boots that Serafall bought him- after he stole them. A white t-shirt and a bleached orange jacket. It was a compromise that took about an hour to take place. Serafall wanted him to wear a suit but there was no way he would do that. He paid his choice by accepting extra hours of 'spars' and foot massages which he had to deliver twice a week for a month. It was all worth it though because suits didn't come in orange and an orange suite would look ridiculous anyway.

The ride to the Sitri mansion was spent in silence. Only the tipping of Serafall's fingers on her cellphone reverberated in the carriage. It took about half an hour to arrive there. The Leviathan household relocated to the Sitri clan grounds after the end of the civil war. So they were quite close to their destination.

Two rows of servants stood on either side of the marble passage that led into the estate. Beautiful men and women dressed in maid and butler outfits. On either side stood two gigantic fountains with statues of snakes crawling upwards in the middle of them.

Atop the stairway stood Lord and Lady Sitri, directly to their left their youngest daughter and heiress to the Sitri household, Sona Sitri. With pleasantries exchanged they walked inside. A prolific dinner was served. Lord Sitri was a warm man, joking and making small talk whenever he got a chance. He danced around the more intimate and personal issues that surrounded the odd pair of master and servant. Lady Sitri was easy going and let her husband lead the discussions. The only thing that appeared out of place was Sona's glare that only appeared when no one else was looking.

After the feast, which displayed Naruto's lack of any kind of table manners, the three senior devils went upstairs to catch up while Sona was tasked with giving him a tour of the estate. They got up to the second segment when Naruto decided to address the proverbial elephant sitting in the middle of the room.

"What's your deal?" he asked bluntly. Fed up with her mean attitude.

"I don't know what you're talking about Uzumaki-san." She answered without looking at him; if words could kill he would be laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood by now.

"No. No. There is definitely something going on with you. What's your deal with me specifically?" he asked nonchalantly. The paintings on the walls somehow became quite interesting because he started looking at them with interest. There was this one really big painting, at least, three meters in diagonally. It depicted a devil standing above a battlefield, angels were on the losing side- propaganda he instantly assumed.

"You just barge in here! You don't know how to eat like a normal person! Then Rias won't shut up about the 'super-ultra-awesome-cool leader of the Shadow syndicate! And then my own sister acts weird around me! What the hell have you done to her?! Cause so help me I will end you if you made her sad!

'Well, that's one way to break a person' he thought as he looked at Sona. Prim and proper gone, an enraged female stood in front of him ready to attack at any moment. Naruto had learned early on that enraging any female mammal was a one-way ticket to the hospital or worse.

Like a delicate bomb technician, he readied himself to diffuse the situation.

'Gloves on? Check'

"I really don't know what you're talking about?" He shrugged.

Menacingly, she started strutting over to him, now it was the 'attain-pity' moment.

"If you mean the table manners…", she stopped, 'stage two success'

"…I am an orphan. Never had anyone to teach me. I ate from dumpsters…" 'put hurt expression on.'

Sona's eyes softened.

'Stage three, success.', "I am really sorry if I somehow insulted you. Woo, everything is new to me around here! In hell I mean." He finished solemnly, calculating eyes on the female who almost beheaded him.

Sona sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry Naruto-san, please forget this ever happened." She asked and with an open palm pointed onwards. "I'll show you to the rest of our house."

 **A.N Woo, that took a lot less than I expected. I normally fail to get past chapter one on my stories, but the conversations and plot flow naturally when I write them which I take as a good sign! A bit of backstory on Naruto's group and his personality.**

 **Thank you for liking this story and reading it. If you have any criticisms please send me a PM, I learn as I go so hopefully I get better along the road.**

 **Also, I've been trying to get a beta reader, so I naturally went to the beta section here on and wrote to a bunch of different beta readers but no one answered, so I think that I am doing something wrong. If you know a beta reader or you are interested in being a beta for this story, please PM me :D**

 **As always review and follow, C ya.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – Welcome**

Young women, old women, and some who thought they were women.

The highly inconsistent population of Sucker's casino was a sight to behold for people who never experienced people at their worst. It was a hub for those who arrived at an obstacle. No, it was a place for those who had money and arrived at an obstacle. Cause you could be anything you wanted when you walked into the amoral den, except being poor.

Roulette tables were scattered around the main hall of the underground establishment, private rooms for those who had more money than they cared to admit. All kinds of fetishes were satisfied, and it wasn't rare for someone to walk in only to leave in a green plastic trash bag. This place was more of a hell than hell itself.

Who would have known?

"Granny Tsunade, you haven't changed at all," Naruto said with a frown. A drunk lady sat on one of the couches. There were men on the floor underneath her feet. Half naked and probably very, very high. The table in front of her was low and on top of it sat a mirror that covered the entirety. Empty bottles of sake and cocaine scattered on top of it. Behind the couch stood an elaborate wooden statue of Hachiman, the god of warriors.

"Eh, Naruto?" she squinted her eyes slightly trying to see him through the smoke that permeated the air like a cloud. "Naruto! How are you doing boy 'ya? Haven't seen you in a while."

'She totally didn't hear me' he thought as he continued to watch her in disappointment. With strength that he didn't know she possessed, she quickly threw a couple of men away from the couch and patted it, signaling him to sit next to her.

'Remain respectful Naruto'. He thought to himself as he observed the suited Yakuza members gather around her. They formed a circle, guns clear on display. Now that he was a devil he didn't particularly feel intimidated. Three months of magic training under Grayfia and Serafall left hardly any reason to fear anything.

Tsunade had always treated him and his, like her own. She was family, although he detested her occupation and the way she would abuse alcohol. He met her a couple of months before his first job. Fifteen years old and out of cash he needed a way to fund their 'project'. His juvenile mind decided that gambling was the only option.

He smiled fondly at the memory.

He sat there on the roulette table. The table had changed three dealers already and a smiling Naruto sat alone with stacks upon stacks of chips. It was then that she walked in, he thought her elegant back then, her green kimono with elaborate markings. She sat in the dealer's seat and introduced herself.

He didn't know back then that Yakuza was more than Hollywood myths, it was a world too far away from his own. Yet, here he was in Chicago, on a roulette table that was being dealt by a female Yakuza boss. Men in suits surrounded his table.

"In your place, I'd bet on sixteen." She said back then. She seemed so sure that sixteen was the right choice. Naruto never lost when it came to games of luck. His well-developed mind started iterating along the lines of how to use that lady. She seemed to have quite the pull with these men and Yakuza had a big chunk of Chicago under their thumb.

"How about we bet then?" he asked.

Tsunade's eyes lit in excitement and she cockily grinned at him. "Bring it on brat! What are we betting?"

It was at that moment that a young woman walked into the private area. She carried a pet pig with her. Leaning to Tsunade she whispered. Back then he couldn't hear what was being said but Tsunade's reaction was still etched in his mind. The same lady that exuded authority flinched and looked like a scolded child under the woman's gaze. For a moment Naruto worried that he had misread the situation and that the young girl was the actual boss.

"Don't worry Shizune, I'll clean this brat and then we can go ok?"

"Please take care Tsunade-sama" the girl whimpered but Tsunade wouldn't budge.

"So what are we betting boy 'ya?" she sultrily asked.

"We play a game of blackjack, one round. If I win you owe me a favor, if you win you get all the money I won today and I'll pay double interest on the loan I took from your pet there." He nodded toward the loaner who stood in the entrance. The poor guy started sweating and shaking while the fat bouncer merrily laughed at his predicament.

Tsunade cocked her head back and laughed heartily. "I like your guts brat! Let's do this! But I want to add something more…" she looked expectantly at one of her underlings. The man pulled a marble box and kneeled in front of her as he opened it. A luxurious looking deck of cards sat neatly stacked inside. She took it out and started shuffling. "If I win I don't want your money. You will work for me for the rest of your life, or you'll wake up in the bottom of the ocean with cemented feet. Make your choice."

It was Naruto's turn to laugh and accept the raise. "I like you. Old lady, let's do this!" the men surrounding them gaped and faint murmurs of 'idiot' and 'balls of steel' resounded around him, he didn't pay any attention to them, though. She didn't speak opting to deal him a card, it was a seven spades, she dealt a card to herself letting it face open showing a seven hearts. Another card came his way faced up, another seven. Lightly tapping the table, he signaled for another hit, this time, the card came faced down. Tsunade loved suspense above all.

"Your turn," he said without looking at his last card.

"You sure you don't want to see your cards? It's not too late you know." She said.

"No, I'm good." He said surely.

Tsunade shrugged and threw another card on top of her seven, it was an ace. Without thinking, she threw another one, another ace and then came a third ace. "It's a twenty brat. I win." She smiled. Her luck wasn't giving up on her again.

Naruto didn't react choosing instead to uncover the third card. Everybody screamed and pandemonium broke out when the third seven landed on top of his previous two. "Twenty-one, blackjack lady. I win right?"

The rest came along later, Tsunade almost adopted Naruto after that. She supplied a couple of men, a car, and guns for their heist. It was the start of a beautiful relationship.

His trip down memory lane ended abruptly when she smacked the couch louder again. "I need to speak in private," He said cordially.

Half an hour later Naruto sat across Tsunade on a traditional Japanese floor. He was sipping sake and Tsunade looked sober, as unusual as it was. "So that Cao boy betrayed you huh?" she asked taking another sip from her cup. He nodded once not trusting himself to speak.

"But to think you would turn into a devil… I'm disappointed Naruto." She said abruptly. Thinking back on it, he shouldn't have been so surprised that she knew about the paranormal. Tsunade was high up there on the important people ladder.

"How did you know?" he asked.

Tsunade scoffed, "Who do you think I am Naruto? 'Shadow Syndicate captured' stood on the first page of my newspaper one day. Next week? No one even remembers what the Shadow Syndicate was. Only devils have this kind of pull on our world. Well, the angels too but they would have gone differently about it." She shrugged.

"I didn't have a choice!" he pleaded, "What should I have done? You should have seen that spear granny! It was beyond anything I had imagined. When I took the job I expected some stick of wood with metal attached on the end of it ya know?. Instead, I saw light beams like I was in some fucking J.J Abrams movie. A week later a guy comes in and introduces himself as the leader of all devils." He said sulkily. Cao Cao's betrayal still fresh in his mind.

"Stupid brat…" she said bitterly. "…I could have gotten you extradited to japan, a couple of years in jail with some good behavior and you would have been out and about on the streets again…"

"Yeah well. I have gotten stronger now. Way stronger than anything I could imagine back then. And it isn't all that bad, Serafall is nice." He muttered but paused when Tsunade dropped her cup and gawped at him.

"Serafall? As in the fucking Leviathan Serafall? You got into the current Leviathan's peerage?" she yelled flabbergasted at the blonde's predicament.

"Yeah what's the big deal?" he asked.

Tsunade broke in laughter. "Could you imagine the queen of England adopting some street urchin and giving him the throne?" she asked.

Without thinking, Naruto answered. "What the hell does the queen of England have anything to do with this? And no, why would she adopt a street urchin?" he asked back annoyed.

"Exactly." She said as if she had won the argument.

"What?" he asked again.

"Brat. She is one of the four leaders of the underworld. Like, if she wanted it, hell would freeze over. She is also the head of foreign affairs and regulates anything that has to do with contact between humans and devils. Why do you think that Yakuza lost so much territory during the last couple of decades? I had to move to fucking America to have some leeway with what I do."

"Yeah so?"

"Gah, you are unbearable!" she yelled. "How come you are always surrounded by influential people? At least you now literally have the devil's luck. Oblivious little shit." She scoffed. Naruto couldn't help but laugh at her.

"I need to find someone, without my 'king' knowing of course," He said seriously.

Tsunade regarded him in silence for a couple of moments. "You are playing a dangerous game Naruto. Good luck only takes you so far in the world that we live in."

"Ah, I'll keep that in mind…" he stood up and laid a piece of paper on the table. "…Same contact routes, I'll keep in touch granny." She picked it up and nodded.

"Take care of yourself brat." She paused for a couple of seconds, seemingly in thought. "Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time you come by I want to give you a gift."

The teleportation circle illuminated the room as the look of surprise colored his features. "Thanks for everything," He said.

Tsunade sat in silence inside the empty room. She sipped some sake but it didn't taste as good anymore. "Shitty brat, didn't even finish his drink."

Learning the mystical art of magic became surprisingly easy. Between physical exercises, Grayfia's 'queen' training and attending to stupid 'Serafall' whims such as 'French pudding fresh from France', he ended up spending most of his free time in Serafall's study. It was hard at first, learning runes and casting mechanisms was a tough thing to do. Most often than not he ended up harming himself by exploding seals, freezing experiments and once almost drowned himself.

A year passed quickly and the underworld became his home. The purple sky didn't bother him anymore; devils weren't that different to humans in the way they spent their life. Sure members of the 72 pillars enjoyed nobility status, but Lilith was like another metropolis in the human world. Some struggled financially, honest nine to five office workers, thugs in the alleyways, people trying to keep their families afloat. He wouldn't have batted an eyelash looking at them if he was back in Chicago. Normal people living normal lives, with normal problems and worries.

Naruto was enjoying the scenery. It had been a long time since he got any personal freedom to do whatever he wanted. Tsunade had no leads in her investigation and he couldn't do much from the underworld. Sirzechs had told him that Cao Cao had joined some shady organization called Khaos Brigade. Many devils of the old faction joined them and apparently a big chuck of the Grigori.

He sat in a cozy little café in the outskirts of Lilith, an old looking short granny owned it and her granddaughter Celia worked there as a waiter. He never thought about it but old people were damn hard to find here in the underworld. The aging rate was thousands of times slower than an average human and the average life expectancy of a devil- aside battles, was around three thousand years. So that granny must have been damn old. A walking relic.

"Can I bring you anything else Naruto-kun?" Celia asked as she set a cup of coffee and biscuits on his table.

"I'm good thanks. How is school going?" Silia was a student at Lilith's college of Liberal arts. Studying history and economics. As weird as it sounded she was only a year older than him, black hair, pale skin, and green eyes. She was tall- taller than him, slim legs and waist and a decent bust size if he said so himself. Coming from a person who knew people like Tsunade, Rias, and Akeno that was quite a compliment.

Celia blushed as he smiled at her. "It's going fine; I'm getting prepared for my finals for this semester."

"Too hard?" he asked.

"Nah, I just need to memorize a lot of things."

"That's good to hear…" he smiled. "…Hey, I wanted to ask, how come you didn't go to study in the human world? I heard the education is about as good, history is probably different, though."

"Ah, I never thought about it. Selionora-baasama, needs help here and I never traveled to the human realm, it's kind of dangerous for those who can't fight."

Naruto realized his blunder and thoughtlessness. "Eh, sorry I guess, that was kind of inconsiderate huh?" he sheepishly scratched his head.

Celia waved her hands negatively. "No, no. You told me you were a human just last year right? It's probably hard seeing normal civilians even if it's the underworld."

Naruto laughed awkwardly, "yeah, I guess. Humans have this idea that the underworld is filled with devils who punish the souls of human sinners. And 'good' humans go to heaven apparently." He scoffed.

Celia's eyes widened. "Really? That's kind of selfish isn't it?" she asked innocently.

"Selfish?"

She took a moment to formulate a proper response. "Yeah, I mean why would they think that they will go anywhere after death? People just die don't they? There's nothing after that."

Sasuke, Eli, and Johnny appeared in front of him, pierced and wounded, there was blood flowing from their respective wounds. His eyes darkened and Celia cringed when an unknown feeling started pulsing around the blond. The temperature in the café dropped considerably. The warmth came back as soon as it came, Naruto stood up threw a couple of coins- more than enough to pay for his coffee.

"Yeah, there's nothing after that…"

"I'm sorry!" she shouted."I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok. Think nothing of it. See you later Celia, Selionora-oba!" he said as he walked outside.

Hands in his pockets he lazily started walking back home. It was weird how a sheltered and unassuming girl understood the world better than him. Her words rang true as much as he wanted to discredit them. When he entered this world; where devils served coffee in cozy little shops, angels probably sand around god throne and fallen angels lived scattered around the underworld like gypsies, he thought that maybe just maybe he could see them again. Whenever his death came he would be able to set everything aside and relax. He could tease Eli with Johnny, Sasuke would sit somewhere in a corner brooding like usual.

'How stupid am I?' he thought, mentally berating himself. A brooding aura surrounded him and civilians avoided stepping in front of him. 'They are gone. And that bastard is still out there! And I'm leisurely drinking coffee like some aged old man!'

He walked and walked, seemingly lost in his thoughts, at some point his head hurt and he stopped to recollect himself. Great he was lost now, standing in the middle of a forest, he could easily tell that he was in Sitri territory. It was the only area that had trees as healthy as those.

With a sigh, Naruto cast the teleportation spell. He needed to lay down and gather his thoughts. He needed a plan. The spell was half way done when his cell phone rang. Curiously he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Naruto boy 'ya?" the familiar voice on the other end of the line brought a smile on his face.

"Granny! Any news?" he asked eagerly.

"'line isn't safe, come over and we'll talk." She hurriedly said.

"Fine, I'll be there as soon as I can. *click*"

This wasn't a good idea he tried to convince himself but his lack of patience took the better of him. Putting a big chunk of energy into the spell he teleported away to the human realm. Which inadvertently resulted in Naruto landing outside the Sucker's casino feeling like he spared with Serafall while carrying an overweight elephant on his back.

Normal devils could maybe teleport from one side of a decent sized city to the other. High-class devils could probably skip a continent. But skipping an entire dimension often took an Ultra class being. Not because of complexity but of sheer energy requirements. Which was a reason that there was a perfectly easy fifteen-minute train ride that one could take from Lilith's central station. Alas Naruto's brain often deactivated itself in the face of excitement.

Gasping like a sprint runner on drugs he knocked on the entrance using the familiar pattern. Kotetsu, a big fat bold bouncer opened the door as usual.

"Ruto-boy" he tried to mimic English accent which only resulted in a hilarious failure. "Tetsu-aniki..." he mouthed in between gasps of air. "Is granny here?"

"Don't let boss hear you…" he chuckled. "…Backroom VIP 3 she's waiting."

Trying to ignore the smoke and scent of alcohol and drugs he pushed through the crowd which was either dancing or crying or both. With a bit more struggle than he thought possible, he arrived at his destination.

Tsunade sat kneeling in front of the Japanese table. "When you said that you'd come as fast as you could I was expecting tomorrow brat."

Naruto had regained his breath by now. "Yeah well, I took the highway."

Tsunade smacked her forehead as Naruto merrily laughed at his own pun. "You haven't gotten any better with those. Sit down."

Acquiescing the request Naruto sat across the table. "What do you have?"

"Geez, calm down brat, I haven't seen you in what? A year? And all you do is requesting shit again. Have a drink." There were three cups on the table, she poured sake into the one in front of him and then in her own cup.

"We getting company?" he asked eyeing the third one.

Shizune walked in, he hadn't seen her in ages and time only did her good. She looked grown up now but her eyes were as kind as ever. "Haven't seen you in a long time 'Ruto."

He blushed and smiled a bit while scratching his head. "I've been busy."

"Excuses!" yelled Tsunade. "…You could have at least come over for a drink or something."

"Ok, ok geez. I'll make sure to visit often ok?"

Tsunade nodded approvingly and Shizune smiled. A couple of moments were spent in silence before Tsunade started talking. "The leader of the Yokai faction has been abducted. Her name is Yasaka and she is a Kyuubi."

A look of realization flashed in his eyes. "You mean those with the seven tails?"

"…" Shizune fell over and Tsunade smacked her head again in irritation. "Naruto, possibly. Don't tell me?"

"Huh, what?"

With utter seriousness, she asked. "Are you retarded?"

Naruto eyes twitched as he looked at Tsunade. Her brows were furrowed in consideration. 'Is she expecting an answer? She is!"

After a long-winded explanation of why nine tailed foxes had nine tails, Naruto felt like an idiot. He would make sure to pay Sirzechs a visit one of these days.

"So anyway, my blunder aside…" he coughed while Tsunade's eyes started twitching at the fresh memory of his idiocy. "… what does this Yasaka woman have anything to do with Cao Cao?"

"He was the one who abducted her. The Yokai are quite troubled and will probably try to get help, she is the one who keeps the energy flow from exploding underneath the city. So they need her back like yesterday."

His eyes lit on fire with determination. "I finally have my clue." He was almost relieved now that he could grab one end of the string, slowly he could start pulling the clew together and Cao Cao was on the other side of it.

"Wait. You shitty brat!" Tsunade yelled as she pulled him back down. "We aren't finished…" tactfully she eyed Shizune and nodded.

"Extend your right palm and set it on the table opened, face up," She ordered.

Not seeing anything weird with her request he did as asked. With speed he didn't expect from a human she pulled a sword from underneath and stabbed it right into his palm. He flinched at first and yelled a bit but soon realized that he didn't feel any pain.

"What the hell, old hag?!" he screamed at her. Sword still stabbed into his flesh. There was no wound it was like it fazed right through him.

"This sword is called the Kusanagi no Tsurugi, it is a relic that the Senju family has carried for generations and passed down to the heir or heiress through the ages. Alas, I am not getting any younger and Shizune will be taking over; plus, she doesn't have any use for a sword this heavy."

Naruto gulped as he observed Tsunade's sword. It was a Jian, double-edged and straight, all the way to its sharp pointy tip, it had a handle made of bronze with ornaments on its rim. "When you won that blackjack game that day, and the times you and your group came over I sometimes wondered if that was what it felt to have a son. Dan died early, god- he winced- bless his soul." She added somberly. "Will you accept this gift Naruto of the Uzumaki?"

He bowed his head in respect. He didn't know much about Yakuza traditions but the movement seemed natural. "I accept…" a few seconds passed before he added. "…but did YOU have to FUCKING STAB ME?"

"Geez, calm your panties. It doesn't hurt does it?"

"No…"

Tsunade put her left palm on the handle and her right in front of her face. Pointing and middle fingers straight up while the rest where clutched. "Kai," She mumbled.

Even for Naruto who had seen plenty of unbelievable things, the event that took place took the cake. Only because of how absurd it was. The sword shifted and a snake took its place. The creature's fangs were piercing his skin at the stabbing point while the rest of its body fell down due to the gravity. He didn't flinch, fully trusting Tsunade's words. Like ink on an empty white canvas, the snake slithered upwards and merged with his arm, leaving a huge imprint that pretty much took the whole sleeve area like a tattoo.

Arcane writings appeared surrounding it. "Now drink a Sakazuki with me Naruto; you and yours will always have a place in the Senju family if you need it!" she said joyfully while raising her cup.

Naruto's cup shook in his arm as he raised it, tears falling. Sniffling he said his part. "Then, I drink with you this Sake, Tsunade of the Senju, you and yours will always have a place in the Uzumaki family if you need it."

 **A.N I have no clue about Sakazuki and Yakuza traditions. If any of you is part of a Yakuza family and found it offensive, then please PM me back with the right protocols. It'd be pretty dope if any of you were lol.**

 **Anyway, when I first started this story I didn't have a plan. Now that the plot solidified more or less I realize that I didn't even pay proper respect to where it's due.**

 **The onomatopoeia for Naruto and his group came from a fic called: "My precious people" by Serious Sam. fanfiction s / 9374119 / 1 / My-Precious-People (remove spaces). It's a fun read for anyone interested.**

 **The phrase: "We are thieves, we take what we want" (in case you haven't noticed yet) comes from Hunter x Hunter, originally said by Feitan from the Phantom Troupe. If you haven't seen Hunter x Hunter (2011) then abandon whatever it is that you are doing at the moment and go watch it. You can thank me later.**

 **Jiraya's training and subsequent abandonment was heavily influenced by actual Naruto cannon (Nagato, Conan, Yahiko) and Van Hohenheim from FMA Brotherhood.**

 **If I missed anything, then just mentione it and I'll add it on the next chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Everything is gray.**

"Now that I look back at my actions, I can't keep myself from wondering if every decision leading up to this was right. Especially now that your failure has led to this."

His master's incandescent rambling brought Cao's mind to a halt. There never was a time that such a tone came, into being, from him, especially towards Cao Cao himself. The hero faction's headquarters were deep underground the city of London. An unassuming cave underneath the underground railroads that formed one of the world's first metro infrastructures.

"Failure? You mean him? Just a nuisance in the greater picture. I don't know why you consider him such a threat. He is nothing but a puppet under that woman now. Not even human anymore." He scoffed.

"Know your place Cao Cao. If only he wasn't so independent and strong willed…" the man sighed wistfully. "…He would be standing in your place now, and you would be three feet underground."

Cao Cao eyed the man ominously, "You sure have no sense of self-preservation master." He threatened.

"Eh, it doesn't matter anymore. The world will descend into chaos and anarchy soon enough, the power of the factions will diminish and our world shall flourish anew. Just like it always has. I wonder Cao, will you be able to survive it? Or will you perish like a rodent on the side of a street. Tread carefully boy, karma does exist after all and failures- even the small ones, often bite the hardest."

The old man finished his speech and comforted himself on his throne. The candles of the dank room shone against Cao's facial features giving him an ominous appearance. He was in front of the exit now but stopped briefly.

"You and I and the rest of the hero faction, would be simple paper-pushers, workers for an unassuming and stale world if everything was peaceful. Chaos brings forth strife, strife brings forth suffering, and suffering creates heroes. Men and women who would put their life on the line to eradicate the same source of their creation. When the world becomes stable again, when there is no need for heroes anymore, when the filthy rodents and crows leave our world the circle will begin anew. It doesn't matter how I die master, there will be ten like me waiting in line."

Cao left the chamber along with the rambunctious laughter of his master. He entered the main hall, a large circular wooden table sat in the middle. Banners with crest hung around the stone walls. "What did master want?" a deep voice rang behind him. A bear of a man stood against the cold gray wall, hands crossed on his chest. He was, at least, two meters tall, with a body made out of chiseled muscles. Long golden hair and deep green eyes.

"Hercules… It was nothing of importance, just a tiny problem that needs to be addressed."

"Oh? I haven't been outside in weeks, maybe I should take care of it?" Hercules offered.

Cao contemplated for a few moments before nodding. "Yeah, that would be great Herc. One of our old recruit failures is stirring problems."

Hercules' eyes widened in understanding. "From your batch? What was his name again? Gabriel?"

"Yeah, he would be dead now, but I hadn't expected the Longinus to give me such a backlash so I had to retreat. He is the Leviathan's queen now and has trained during the last year no doubt. Don't take him lightly, Hercules" he warned.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Though I doubt a youngling like him could pose much of a threat."

"For you? Probably not. But… As I said, he is more than what he seems, cunning like a fox behind a faithful dog's mask. No matter how weak, people like him should be treated like cockroaches. Don't give him a chance. Don't toy with him. And make sure to crush him."

"It's fine I get it!" Hercules shrugged nonchalantly. "Crushing things is what I do anyway." He waved goodbye as he headed out for his mission.

Traveling with public transportation becomes a novelty when the usual way to travel consists of warping every atom in your body to another location. The green scenery outside the bullet train had a calming effect on the fragile nerves of the young devil. Rhythmic sounds coming from the tracks and the hygienic smell had an entrancing effect on his mind. He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat when the speakers announced the next station. Daimon station was the nexus towards Ofuna, from where he would take the next bullet train straight to Kyoto.

He could as easily teleport himself there, but the ride gave him time to process everything. Serafall was on her yearly tour now and wouldn't be back home until next month. He had to make all kinds of excuses to get out of her watchful eye.

"Hello there!" an American-accented voice said.

A hulk of a man sat swiftly next to him and gritted him with a charming smile.

'We will be arriving in Daimon in five minutes. Thank you for choosing Japan's number one railways!' the operator's voice sounded.

"Ah, hello. You American?" he asked. He had to consciously force himself to use English. His meeting with Sirzechs a year ago made it easy to recognize that some people could distinguish devils speaking their universal language.

The man's eyes glittered with excitement when he spoke in fluent English. "Oh, you are American? I guessed correctly then, Japanese is hard man."

"I know right? I've had a hard time getting used to the honorifics and stuff. Let me guess South Cal?"

"No, no…" the man waved his hands in denial. "Miami" he stated with a laugh.

"Yeah, that makes sense too." Naruto smiled. "Though I'd swear you'd pass for a guy from L.A. I'm Naruto." He offered his hand in a friendly gesture. The man smiled even wider and shook it- almost crushing his hand in his thumping hand. "Hercules."

"Ouch man, you really hit the gym huh?"

"Sorry, I sometimes can't control my power" he sheepishly apologized.

"So Greek origins, right? You parents must have known you'd get this big…" Naruto chuckled, "…that or they fed you something special."

"Yeah…" the man heartily laughed. "…father came from Athens. Never stopped spouting about how Greece lost its glory, hated the Turks with a passion too. Oh well, the world has changed a lot lately."

"Old grudges are hard to forget huh?"

Suddenly, Hercules sobered up. "It's a shame Naruto…"

Alarm bells rang in Naruto's head. It was like a dark room that suddenly lightened up with a bulb. Underneath it stood a colossus of a man and Naruto was an ant looking up. Whatever pleasurable aura vanished and Naruto was cornered in his seat.

"…I would have loved to stay and chat with you a bit longer. But it's just business that's all."

Before he got a chance Naruto found his head clutched in an enormous grip. He tried to struggle but it wouldn't loosen and his skull felt as if it would explode in a gory fashion. Like a watermelon between a bodybuilder's thighs. Everyone in their carriage lost consciousness as a schism appeared behind Hercules. "Public fights are a no, no." he muttered as if reminding himself not to crush the devil in front of him just yet."

The usual feeling of teleportation overtook him and Naruto found himself held up from his face. A forest around them surrounded their inevitable battle. Without giving Hercules any time to react he let his right hand fall limp on his side. Malicious red energy surrounded the limb and the sword he received from Tsunade materialized in his palm. Gripping the handle as hard as he could he willed the moisture around them to gather around it, elegantly he tried to stab the man in the stomach. The icy protection shattered like glass upon contact. Naruto instantly swiveled and surrounded Hercules' neck with his feet in a clutch while letting his wings out.

"What are you doing child?" the previously friendly Hercules had an arrogant tone now. He stood there like an immovable rock while Naruto struggled around. Even though enforced with energy and devil muscles he couldn't choke him.

Having enough of Naruto's sputtering form he threw him. Naruto lost his breath upon impact with a tree. The thick wood shattered when he hit it. Naruto had less than a second to roll away from a punch that intended to crack his skull in two. He didn't expect the follow-up explosion. Its force threw him sideways into a large rock. He didn't get a chance to recollect himself because Hercules jumped on him. He was being pummeled underneath Hercules' leather boots. Bones were being crushed, a blow found its way on his face and he felt teeth shattering.

Hercules broke a large piece of stone and lifted it, holding it, at least, three meters above his head. "I don't know what Cao Cao was worried about. Sure most would never survive that pummeling but in the end, of a day a cockroach is a cockroach, nothing more nothing less. Get crushed insect."

The boulder was let free to move its natural course through gravity. It was only when no blood seeped underneath the boulder that Hercules noticed something wrong. There was no blood flowing from any of the wounds on his target's body. The wounds themselves looked black inside. The 'dead' body twitched slightly and broke into a flock of crows slightly blinding him.

Clapping resounded behind him and he turned back baffled at the sight of a completely healthy looking Naruto. "So Cao Cao sent you?" he asked nonchalantly. "Yes. It's easier that way…" a maniacal grin almost split Naruto's face in too. Devil wings sprouted from his back and his darkened face showed two scarlet slit eyes. "…Isn't it easier Hercule's?" he started running towards his attacker, sword safely clutched in his right hand. Jumping in the air and readying himself to strike the hulk Naruto spoke again, "…When the prey comes to its predator?"

Hercules didn't have time to process the words being spoken. 'cunning like a fox… Be careful' Cao Cao's words echoed again as he dodged the slash and rolled sideways. Without taking too much time to think ahead he cocked his fist to punch the blonde in the nose. Naruto swiftly avoided the punch by turning his head sideways and tried to stab the man. The sword performing multiple swings in less than a second. Multiple faints mixed into the motion.

Hercule's not lacking experience in faster opponents elegantly dodged each and everyone, getting away with only a couple of cuts on his side. With a roar, he punched his left towards Naruto while swiftly turning on the top of his heels.

Naruto missed the faint and didn't see Hercules' elbow coming his way because he was busy dodging the punch. It impacted right in his ear and the ringing sound surrounded him completely. His field of sight was distorted right now that he was stunned. There were two Heracles' now running towards him. He tried to avoid the left one but the right one's fist impacted on his face breaking his nose. Naruto rolled with the punch so as to soften the blow but it was for naught. Every bone in his body hurt as he lay there broken on the ground.

' _STAND UP'_ Serafall's voice again. ' _Weaklings are the first to die in the world that you so quickly rushed to enter. I- no, No one needs weaklings! No one wants to see people close to them die because of weakness. That's why they died didn't they? You were weak back then, they were weak! And here you are paying the price. So stand up!'_

"SHUT. UP! You know nothing of them! You are nothing!"

"What are you blabbering on about insect? Have you lost it now that you couldn't back your words? Ah, what is it you said earlier?" Hercules laughed snobbishly. "That I am the prey? Know your place INSECT!"

He kicked the blond away. Naruto's body soared and impacted upon the boulder and imbedded inside it.

Naruto was silent but suddenly started laughing.

"Piece of crap…" Naruto whispered.

"What?"

"…Know your place."

The forest became quiet. For those who never heard of Naruto- which was perfectly easy to do unless viewing a long forgotten video on devilTube. A video about a young blonde man who nonchalantly interrupted Magical girl's Levia-tan live shooting. A young man, first member of Serafall Leviathan's peerage. Given so much power that his human shell almost exploded the entirety of the Gremory estate on a cold November night a year ago. Amongst the secrecy and hidden facts, it was easy to overlook the fact that Naruto was the first human to attain a 'real' form' after turning into a devil. A state only pure blooded Ultimate class devils ever achieved and only after rigorous training. It was a manifestation of their desire and power. The manifestation of their dreams and aspirations. A devil's ultimate state.

It was a fact that changed the way devils saw evil pieces, a probable way to undo their own existence. It couldn't be revealed so nonchalantly to the underworld population. It was the reason Naruto was not allowed into the middle-class examinations. It was the reason Sirzechs took an interest in him and sent Grayfia to train him. It was the reason Serafall looked worried every time he brooded over his long lost friends. It was the reason that Hercules shook like a leaf while looking upon his maker.

For in front of him now stood the Devil and no matter how much he ordered his brain to get it back together and stand up he couldn't escape his kneeling position. It wasn't even the blonde he met on the train in front of him anymore. A malicious shell of his former self. Red slit eyes observed his very being, clawed hands, and wings resembling of the fallen angels sprouted from his shoulders Naruto's feet had only three extensions now and looked like talons. His skin turned pale white, a stark contrast to his previous tan.

A spear of magic energy formed in Naruto's palm and he got ready to strike. Briefly, that thug in Chicago appeared around Hercules' form. He could see every inch of him shake, like a cornered animal that couldn't accept its fate. "There is no Eli to save you this time."

"Naruto." A growling and very familiar voice echoed behind him. Naruto froze, his spear millimeters away from Hercules' eye.

He sighed and turned around looking like a hurt puppy- a quite menacing puppy but to her a puppy nonetheless. "This isn't like it looks like. Serafall I swear."

"She stood behind him, arms crossed and feet tapping impatiently. She wore her pink Levia-tan costume and her earpiece used for stage still hung around her head. "So here I am singing in front of at least thirty thousand people Naruto…" he glared. "…And I can feel you removing my seal right?" Naruto nodded. Hercules was watching baffled.

"…And so I ABANDON MY OWN FUCKING CONCERT! AND I FIND YOU HERE! LIKE THIS!" taking a calming breath she continued. "…So you better have a very damn good explanation about all of this."

Naruto raised his hands in defense. "Look, just let me finish here and-"

"Go home now."

"What? Why? This ass-face tried to kill me!"

"I'll deal with it. Go home, rest and then find me on my tour bus. You are escorting me until the tour finishes."

"What? Hey, I swear- "

"And there will be daily '1000 spankings'"

Naruto sputtered like a child, the memory of the humiliating punishment fresh in his mind.

"but- "

"No buts go home."

Naruto pursed his lips and tsked. Without saying another word, he teleported away.

Serafall sighed as she eyed the broken man in front of her. Hercules couldn't move and still shook like a leaf. "Who sent you?"

She cast an illusion on him, normally it would take some torture but his spirit was broken so it was way easier.

His eyes widened as he finally recognized who it was that stood in front of him. "Wh- What?" he stuttered.

She rolled her eyes and clutched his chin bringing their eyes on a level. "I will ask you. And you will answer. You tell the truth and your master will see you again. Lie and you'll be buried here in this forest."

"Cao Cao. Ji- Jiraya." He kept muttering the names in a trance. Jiraiya's name made her eyes widen and anger flooded her mind. Any and all secrets Hercules' could spout wouldn't make a difference now. Naruto would be so hurt.

'Naruto' she thought sadly. His desire for vengeance had made him into what he was- partly. A former human with enough potential to one day rival the four great Satan's. A fact that made her immensely proud and sad at the same time. She eyed the spot that Naruto stood upon before he teleported.

"Man… Making me take another life. You're no better than Sirzechs." she sighed while turning to look at Hercules' terrified face. Memories, long forgotten, of bloodied battlefields. Her brethren mutilated and mountains of bodies. Angels losing their minds and falling in the midst of the chaos. Crying as god lost his life. The former Satans' bodies underneath her feet, as she and the rest of their motley crew celebrated their victory.

'There is no reason to dirty your hands for that. You are too pure."

Jiraiya sat atop his throne underneath the city of London. The cavern was briefly illuminated as a snake appeared in front of his feet. It shifted and an amorphous humanoid being took its place. He was not born yesterday he could easily tell that it was a summon, the being offered him a delicate looking wooden box.

'I have a message for you Sage.' It spoke in his mind. He didn't feel the need to break the connection.

'Speak' he ordered.

'It's voice shifted into a more feminine tone, he could recognize that voice anywhere, heard it millions of times through secret recordings and sightings but it lacked the usual playfulness.

'You have overstepped your bounds. If he finds that you are involved in this, he will break. He is family now and attacking the Sitri isn't a wise choice Sage. Tread carefully, the Ouroboros is moving but that won't stop me from tearing you apart. Enjoy my gift.'

The sage stood silently as the being dissolved into thin air. He didn't particularly care for threats coming out of a rodent's mouth. Nimbly he undid the sealing and opened the box. A defeated sigh escaped his lips as he eyed the content. "Stupid boy" he mumbled looking at Hercules' severed head and the patch of skin that held the Ouroboros tattoo.

One of the numerous shadows around him morphed into a similar being to the snake summon. "Leonardo, get me Cao Cao here." He whispered.

 **A.N Jiraya as an antagonist. This was planned before I even wrote the first word of chapter 1. His motives and aspirations will be explained more clearly down the line. So if you love Jiraya, sorry I guess. I still suck at writing fight scenes, so don't feel too let down; I tried my best *yay* (sighs and cries in a corner). I had an image of Hercules in my mind, a cocky muscle head that loves battles. I tried to not put too much conversation into the fight itself because I hate seeing people explain their abilities to their opponents during fights, oh well.**

 **That being said I am reading up on cannon at the moment. The story is heading towards the Yasaka rescue arc and the inevitable confrontation between Naruto and Cao Cao.**

 **A huge thank you to YuukiAsuna-chan who gave me the light novels to read.**

 **P.S There will be those of you who'll complain about Naruto having a 'true form'. This will be better explained down the line. He is not OP. Not even close. At best I'd say he is a bit less strong than Sairaorg in that form and even then there are numerous limitations (which again will be explained later *no spoilers for you!*.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – It's not quiet anymore.**

A lithe dark haired little girl sat atop a white scaffold. The surrounding landscape was encompassed in white and in its middle sat a great white Castle. It was easily the greatest thing she had ever come up with. It was quiet and peaceful, even if it was so small and constricting that she could barely be free.

She could feel it, the swaying motions of fate, as it so gracefully flowed through the sands of time. Yet for all her power fate was something that she couldn't control. It was a raging tsunami, that sweeps whatever it wants in its wake and leaves everyone who survived it to pick the pieces back together.

"Who could ever imagine that you'd be back." Her silent monotone voice rang inside the separate dimension, echoed all around, "You are making it loud again, like all those years before… I hate it."

" _ **Are you still going on about that? Ophis."**_ A spectral voice reverberated in her head.

"Even now your voice rings in my ears, haven't you had enough? You should be gone."

" _ **Times are changing little Ophis."**_

"Impossible, you won't accomplish anything with this." She said with finality.

" _ **No. He can't fail; I would know best after all. You won't get what you want Ophis."**_

"You are dead and I am alive. Isn't that proof enough?"

" _ **You still haven't understood what it means to be strong Ophis? Even after all these years. Poor little thing. Maybe this time around you'll learn. You can feel it can't you?"**_

"Leave me be. I've had enough, I want quiet, I want my peace."

" _ **Don't you miss me little Ophis?"**_

"I said LEAVE!"

Everything went quiet again. Ophis, the Ouroboros dragon didn't feel at peace anymore. A millennia long forgotten anger resurfaced as she stared ahead at the white horizon. Her energy became unstable again, a small amount of it escaped her control. It was a testament to her power as the separate artificial dimension started crumbling away.

The colorful void of the dimensional gap remained as the walls of her dimension faltered and as she sat atop her crumbling empty white castle Ophis almost shed a tear, for ages long gone and traitors who never acknowledged her.

==2==

He felt like a scolded child.

Never in his life had he felt so embarrassed. It was a feeling that he never experienced before so he couldn't put it into words. A thousand and one different thoughts crossed his mind, not knowing how he should be reacting right now. He settled on aggravated with a hint of relieved. He came an inch too close to taking a life. Again. It was ironic in a sense, that somebody close to him stopped him every time the situation called for it.

Would she be there when he confronted Cao Cao? He hoped not. In his mind he had to do it. Make sure that Eli, Johnny and Sasuke slept easy in the afterlife; if such a thing even existed. A fleeting thought that he was doing it for himself and his own peace of mind crossed his thoughts. It was handily squashed underneath a pile of justifications. He was doing the righteous thing. His course of action was the right one; no doubt about it.

Hercules came in front of his musings. Did she let him walk away?

Life was a fleeting privilege. Everyone sought meaning to their own existence and in their journey many came up with different explanations. God was as good an explanation as any back when he was a human; but now that he knew the truth- or part of it. He felt that whatever he had heard of god and deities was horseshit. Gods were but a different species. A far too hard to kill species but just a different breed. So that begged the question: Did gods wonder how they came to be? Did they search for a meaning in their seemingly eternal existence?

How interesting. Just the thought that gods themselves were nothing but overpowered humans who lived as long as they didn't die. It would have been blasphemy for any believer, a tarnish to the natural flow of things. But it was the truth. During his year in the underworld he often thought about this. The conclusion was that there was no natural order for things. Only the different agendas that circulated the different factions and religions. To be a sinner meant nothing; to be a saint meant nothing. The previously caged human had entered a jungle filled with animals; he was free now and in his freedom he realized that the man who came up with the saying 'ignorance is bliss' was worthy of respect.

Maybe the less one knew about the world around him, the better off he would be in his life.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Serafalls' soothing words echoed inside the tour bus. They were heading towards the old capital of the underworld Lucifaad. It was the last stop for their tour this week and they would be heading back to Lilith for their last performance after that.

Naruto looked at her and contemplated for a second. "What happened to that man?" he asked.

"I sent him back to his master." She said. A hint of regret on her face told him everything he needed to know but he wanted to hear it coming from her lips.

"Alive?" he asked.

"…"

Her silence gave her away and lies were never her thing to begin with. There was no reason to keep that particular truth. "He attacked family. I don't care who or what or why. They all meet the same fate." She muttered with conviction.

Naruto felt warm as he heard her words but his wounded pride wouldn't let her get away so easily with it. "So why didn't you let me do it? I had everything under control." He asked.

Serafall's pink eyes regarded him for a moment before turning away to look at the passing scenery. "There was this girl once. Heir of one of the biggest and strongest clans in the underworld. In her free time, this girl, would meet with her friends in the forest and played, talked, dreamed… Of a world that didn't seem so bleak as it was back then. A world where devil kids were just that. Kids. Where there were hospitals, schools, cafés like that little one you visit when you want to be alone…" she playfully looked at him.

"You've been following me?" he asked flabbergasted. He always made sure to avoid her familiar.

She only giggled before turning back to the window. "The fallen angels were taking parts of the underworld for themselves back then, and Devils were enraged about their territory being taken away. At that moment in time, relations with the angels shattered because they didn't want their fallen brethren back, neither did they want to help us remove them from our soil. Rumors of god insulting us started flying around and before she knew it that little girl was drafted into the army. The great Satans wouldn't have any of it. Propaganda started flying around and war broke out. A three-way war, where devils tried to protect their homes, fallen angels sought a place to belong to, and angels tried to protect their way of life."

"So in a sense angels were the ones who were too stubborn to back out?"

Serafall laughed, "Angels? No, no, it was god who was too stubborn to back out. Fallen angels were no longer 'His' children, they were blasphemy to the way things were supposed to be. A blight in his own incompetence. He couldn't accept that it was his fault that angels fell in the first place. They were blinded by humanity, they found it beautiful and endearing. Unlike his angels, humans were made in 'His' image, they loved, hated. But angels, angels could only love 'Him', they sung in front of his throne, and regarded everything that was not 'Him' and not of 'His' creation as evil and vile…"

"That's a bit fucked up." he commented.

"A bit? Yeah, I guess so." She shrugged.

"A century passed and the girl who dreamed with her friends in her backyard, was now a killer. There was nothing to dream about anymore. Most of her friends were now dust that added to the underworld's barren landscape. All she wanted was to avenge them, to make sure that none would ever harm her family and friends again. So she killed and killed, there was no stopping. And then one day she turned to look around, her army lay dead, her enemies lay dead, and all that stood there was her…"

A chill ran down Naruto's spine.

"…Another century passed away quicker than she could have ever imagined. Nothing had changed. Only more angels had fallen now, after their atrocities. And they still wanted to take more of our land. God wasn't responding and the four great Satans didn't want to back down either. Anyone who spoke of stopping was executed on the spot, children younger than the previous generation were being sent on the battlefield. It was carnage, families destroyed, the seventy-two pillars were now reduced to fifty and the public started rebelling, they thought it was madness…

…Mothers were crying on the streets, former soldiers who lacked limbs and barely escaped alive were living on the streets. Some even cut their own legs and wings so that they didn't go to fight in the war. Some sent their children away to the human realm, and some vanished completely. That was when the war against the old faction started. Devilhood was cut in half and fought against one another. The girl joined the rebellion, for the first time in centuries hoping that the bloodshed would stop. That maybe after it was all said and done she could regain her long forgotten dream. It was hard and lasted many, many years but the old faction lost, the great war ended up in a seize fire up to this day."

"So what happened to that girl?" he asked.

She smiled knowingly. "The girl saved her idiot queen from doing a big mistake. "

==3==

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. He knew that Serafall took a big part in the war, but hearing her recounting her experience put a damper on his own problems. It put everything into perspective. She had probably experienced what he felt during the past year. Only for her that feeling was hundredfold. How could he begrudge her for the way she acted back then in that clearing. He needed time to think.

It was noon when they arrived to Lucifaad. It was about as big as Lilith in size but held a distinctively different feeling to it. It was a lot quieter, without the same hustle and bustle one would experience in Lilith. Small stores and taverns were scattered around, kids were hanging around the fountains that surrounded many of the streets and mothers were talking while their children played in the parks. He tried to imagine how things would have been if he lived here back before the war.

The streets would have been probably desolate.

"Hey Serafall?"

"Uhn?" she turned to look at him.

"I think that girl achieved her dream. And I'd thank her for saving her family."

Serafall smiled fondly as she turned to look outside the window. "Yeah, she'd probably say that thanks aren't needed."

==3==

"Tell me Cao Cao…" the deep voice echoed inside the cavern. A foul smell lurked inside. Reminiscent of long forgotten meat that went bad. "…When did I ever allow you, to order _my_ men? When did I explicitly say that you could act in my stead and order anyone around?"

Cao Cao took a deep breath while contemplating the best way to answer. "I didn't order anyone. Hercules decided to take matters in his own hands when I recounted our conversation to him. "

"So a loose mouth is another virtue adding to your incompetence? Why! Isn't that lovely Cao Cao? Not only do you lack in the skill department you also lack in self-restraint. Truly, even Sasuke would have done a better job." The man jeered.

Cao Cao held his tongue.

"You will go back to our _guest,_ and you will make her open that gate. Am I clear Cao Cao?"

"Yes."

"Go on then, and take your latest souvenir with you." He pointed at the box that was placed in front of his feet.

Cao Cao could feel the reeking smell coming from inside the box. Now wasn't the time to lash out. He had to stay calm.

==4==

Issei Hyodo sat inside the bullet train headed to Kyoto. It was their first trip ever since the whole attack-on-the- rating game affair. He reminisced his life- or its more current affairs as he stared out of his window. Kiba, his comrade and arguably good looking fella, was sleeping next to him. The webbed crack on the window was not noticed. During a small percentage of his brain activity- which counted as a brief rest from his arguably shameful thoughts (that may or may not contain a certain cleavage or cleavages), he liked to think about his life. An activity he only recently gained due to actually attaining one. The recent events-Sairaorg handing him his ass in a spar, heavily weighed upon his highly unfocused mind.

Unlike what most thought, Issei Hyodo had a high sense of duty. Sairaorg being in Rias' generation would become an obstacle that he had to overcome. How could he ever beat someone who trained his entire life? Especially when he, himself never trained for more than a month at a time. All things considered he had been lucky and he got great friends out of it; even if he had to risk his life on multiple occasions.

"Anything on your mind Ise?" Kiba spoke as he sat next to him.

"Wh- What?" he wheezed around. "Oh, Kiba. 'Ya say anything?" Issei asked dumbly.

The arguably, pretty boy smiled charismatically and handed him a drink he got from the station. "I asked if there's anything on your mind."

Issei took it gratefully. It was moments like this that he didn't hate the boy for his handsomeness. "Thanks. I was just thinking about how to deal with Sairaorg." He spoke after drinking a bit.

"I didn't think you would take it this badly. From what I heard he has been training his whole life." He stated.

"Yeah, how do I beat someone like that?" he asked exasperated.

Kiba sucked his lips, trying to come up with a way to answer. "Issei, do you know why you are dangerous?" he settled.

"I'm dangerous?" Issei blinked, to which Kiba laughed with mirth.

"You have been gifted with a power Issei, that required the three factions to set their problems aside and cooperate during a war to counter! The Welsh dragon is your greatest weapon…" Issei grumbled a bit at that. "…But that isn't the reason you are dangerous. You want to protect those you find important to you, and you would easily lay your life at stake for them. This is a conviction that many do not have, an unbreakable spirit. That is why you are dangerous." Kiba smiled again and Issei was baffled at his comrade's tone. "As long as you keep moving forward, there isn't anything that's going to stop you. And every time you fall down you will have us to pick you up and put the pieces back together. Never forget that."

"Kiba?" he looked at the pretty boy with wide eyes and a blush on his face.

"Yeah?"

"That sounded awfully gay! I wish buchou would have said that!" he cried in outrage.

"Oh come on!"

==5==

"Red, the color of nightmares and deceit; of passion and anger. Such an expressive color and yet mostly ignored and forgotten. For make no mistake; its meaning wasn't so randomly decided by a group of men sitting on a table, discussing its definition. Red became the color of passion, deceit, anger, life, death, because it is the color of our blood. The fluid that so effortlessly courses through our bodies and fills us with life. The same liquid that so effortlessly pours outside with the littlest of prickles on our skin. Such a beautiful thing, eloquent and deadly. "

The beauty in front of him glared with hatred. Even though she couldn't speak her eyes expressed more than enough. "…So why! Why is it that you also have red blood? Why do you bleed the same as me?! You reek, the stink of a monster! You overgrown fox." His eyes shined with righteous hatred. "You are but an animal! Not worthy enough to walk the same as us, not worthy enough to talk the same as us! You and your kind took _our_ cities, dressed in human suits and now walk around like nothing happened. Disgusting! Pathetic!"

Yasaka was kicked in the ribs and tumbled on the ground. Jiraya instantly caught her by the throat and easily raised her. She spun and kicked hoping to escape his grasp but he was like an immovable wall. "I only want one thing fox. I want you, your kind, the devils, the fallen, and even the angels to get out. You have toyed with men for millennia, the gods are sitting on their thrones and waiting for this stalemate to end, and then like vultures they will descend and take whatever is left." Jiraya threw her down and took a deep breath to calm down. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

"Look. I don't particularly want to eradicate the paranormal. They can go back to their homes for all I care. I am not some tyrant. I want humanity to take the place it rightfully deserves. Devils and angels have no place here, you can argue that Yokai originated here on earth and I'll give you that. But I need _that_ creature back. It is important. So open the gate, please! You are the only nine tailed fox strong enough to regulate all that chakra. I'd do it but Kyoto's natural chakra reeks of evil. I'd probably end up in a rampage. The last thing I want is Ophis showing up uninvited." He finished by pulling out the cloth that gagged Yasaka's mouth until now. To his delight she didn't scream- or bite.

"You are like your ancestors. Trying to bite more than you can chew. No matter what you do I'll never help you. The world is settling in peace; which you are trying to undo." She closed her eyes and didn't speak further. There was no need to.

"So you don't want to meet your creator? The being that created humans and yokai alike?"

 **A.N Evil cliffhanger no jutsu! Sorry for not updating for so long. I didn't have internet at home and uploading at work would get me in trouble lol. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I honestly didn't have a lot of time so I ended up doing a small recap and introducing a couple of new characters along with some foreshadowing.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


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